Letters: Stop the fish slaughter

We are helpless bystanders watching our fishing stocks being depleted daily in attacks by gill net poachers since the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries decided that the Ezemvelo service is no longer necessary.
It left a big hole in the wall for illegal fishing activities to spiral out of control. Today the Tugela River mouth was completely closed off by gill nets – not even a small gap left for fish to pass by.
Gill netting is now a standard feature in the Tugela, where seven or more nets are visible.
Ezemvelo can’t help anymore as they don’t have any jurisdiction. Our police services are not very helpful either and do not even bother to come out to assist.
Are our oceans going to be raped like our government is raping our treasury? Is this now going to be legal to close off an entire river for the profit of one man? Where do we draw the line?
DAFF discontinued the services of people who actually cared for our fishing industry. Where is DAFF when canoe upon canoe is loaded with fish and we cannot do a thing as our lives are being threatened if we even try to put a stop to it. Who do we call who will take responsibility for the slaughter of fish species all along our coastline?
DANIEL VON METZINGER
Mandeni